Public Worship & Activities Suspended Until Further Notice

March 13, 2020

A Letter from The Very Rev. Dominic Barrington, Dean of the Cathedral

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

It is with a heavy heart that I share with you the decision to suspend all worship and other activities at the Cathedral until further notice, due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This follows a request from Bishop Lee to us and every church in the diocese, to take such a step in order to help slow the spread of the virus and to show our care for the wider community whom we serve in Christ’s name. This will take effect Saturday, March 14.

We ask that you do not come to St. James on Sunday morning. We will not be offering any services at all, and in the spirit of the bishop’s request and all the advice being offered by civic authorities, I must ask you to stay home.

There are many online resources for private worship available to members of the Episcopal Church, both in terms of live-streamed services and access to material from the Book of Common Prayer. This coming Sunday, I suggest you connect to the service that will be streamed from the National Cathedral, at which the Presiding Bishop will be preaching.

During the week, the Cathedral will remain open for private prayer, as is currently the case. It can be accessed from the west doors on Wabash St. However, St. James Commons (the office building) will be closed to the public, and there will be no access to the Cathedral from the entrance on Huron St.

My colleagues and I remain fully contactable by phone and email, and I encourage you to reach out to us if you have any concerns at any point. While we are separated from each other physically, we remain connected in the unbreakable bonds of Christ’s Body.
I will continue to pray for you, and for all affected by this pandemic.

Dominic